A liver flush is also known as a gallbladder flush or cleanse, and it's used to get rid of gallstones.[1] While there's no scientific evidence that liver flushes are effective, there's anecdotal evidence that they are. In theory, the liver flush breaks up any existing gallstones or prevents the formation of new ones, then gets rid of them via stool. If your gallstones are bothering you, see your doctor and discuss your interest in doing a liver flush. Just keep in mind that cleanses can be harmful to your body if done incorrectly and enemas should only be performed by trained professionals.

Steps

Method1

Performing a Liver Flush with Olive Oil and Citrus Juice

1

Consider fasting before your liver flush.[2] Do this only if you have experience with fasting. The liver flush itself can cause nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting. If you're not used to fasting, these effects may be amplified.

If you are an experienced faster, consider doing a three to seven day juice fast before the liver flush.

Apple juice is rich in malic acid and liminoid, which can help break down gallstones.

2

Make a mixture of citrus juices.[3] You will drink a total of 1 cup of citrus juices. This mixture will be 50% grapefruit juice, 25% orange juice, and 25% lemon juice. Squeeze the grapefruits, oranges, and lemons separately and do not mix the juices at first. You will need 1/2 cup of grapefruit juice, 1/4 cup of orange juice, and 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Mix them together well, then split the mixture up into separate glasses, each filled with 1/4 cup of juice.

You will also need 1 cup of olive oil separated into four doses of ¼ cup each.

3

Take the citrus mixture and olive oil in 15-minute increments.[4] Wait until about an hour before you plan to go to bed. Take 1/4 cup of the citrus mixture, followed by 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil. Repeat this process every 15 minutes, until it's time to go to bed.

4

Go to sleep immediately.[5] Lay on your right side when you go to sleep. Although there's no evidence for it, the traditional belief is that this allows the cleanse to progress more easily.

5

Go for an enema in the morning. To get to most out of your cleanse, make an appointment to have an enema the morning after you drink these fluids. Enemas should always be performed by trained professionals. Do not attempt to give yourself an enema.

Method2

Performing the Citrus and Olive Oil Flush Without an Enema

1

Follow the same steps as the citrus and olive oil flush. Stop after the night of sleeping on your side, before you take the enema in the morning. You will replace the enema with another dietary treatment.[6]

2

Drink a saltwater mixture in the morning.[7] Dissolve two teaspoons of un-iodized sea salt into 4 cups of warm water. If you don't have sea salt, you can use the juice from half a lemon instead. Drink this mixture first thing in the morning.

3

Restrict your diet to vegetables and broth.[8] For the rest of the day, eat only mild preparations of vegetables (no spices) and clear broth. You should eliminate the gallstones through your stool sometime during the day.

Method3

Flushing Your Liver with Apple

1

Do not do an apple-based liver flush if you have certain medical conditions.[9] This method will require you to drink large amounts of apple products. While apples are perfectly healthy in moderation, in excess they add a lot of sugar to your system. If you have cancer, a yeast infection, diabetes, hypoglycemia or a stomach ulcer, do not use this method.

2

Go on a two-day apple juice fast. For centuries, scientists have researched ways to treat gallstones without surgery. A liver flush is a "chemical contact" treatment, in which you consume chemicals that break up the gallstone from within.[10] Many chemical contact treatments doctors tried throughout history had long-term negative side-effects on patients. The malic acid and liminoid found in apples, though, have relatively benign side effects that last a short amount of time.[11]

Don’t drink juices made from concentrate or that have added sugars. Look for natural apple products.

Keep the juice at room temperature, and mix it with warm water to further raise the temperature when you drink it.

Drink 16 oz. (2 cups) of organic apple juice or apple cider every 2 hours between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on both days

3

Take an olive oil and citrus juice mix on the second day.[12] At 8:30 p.m. on the second day, mix ½ cup of olive oil with ½ cup of lemon juice or ¾ cup of grapefruit juice. The juices should be freshly squeezed, not processed.

You may feel nauseous after drinking this mixture, but try to relax and see your way through it. You’ll feel better when the process is over!

4

Go to bed immediately.[13] It may feel too early to go to bed, but it’s important to keep to the schedule for this liver flush. You’ve taken the olive oil and citrus juice mixture after about 36 hours of fasting, and now you need to go to bed. Remember to lay on your side to help the cleansing process.

5

Drink a saltwater mixture in the morning of the third day.[14] Dissolve two teaspoons of un-iodized sea salt into 4 cups of warm water. Again, you can substitute the juice from half a lemon if you don’t have sea salt.

Eat only vegetables and clear broths for the rest of the day. The nausea you felt the night before should pass once you get some food in your stomach, and you should pass your gallstones sometime during the third or fourth day.